Dodgers' Will Smith: Slated for 'around 90 games'
Manager Dave Roberts suggested Friday that Smith will start "somewhere around 90 games" this season, Jorge Castillo of the Los Angeles Times reports.
Roberts mentioned earlier this spring that Smith and Austin Barnes could pair in somewhat of a timeshare this season, and those plans appear to be taking shape given the manager's estimate for Smith's starts. This is far from positive news for fantasy managers who have invested in Smith as a top-three option at catcher based on his excellent 163 wRC+ last season -- tops among MLB catchers -- but it falls in line with the Dodgers' desire to give ample time to the defensively superior Barnes. Smith should still put up relatively strong numbers in comparison to other backstops, but his value will certainly take a hit if he is indeed sitting 2-3 times per week.
